Four boys told an adult, who called police, that 53-year-old Kenny Fugett killed the kitten by breaking its neck, as one of the boys recorded it on his cell phone.

Home Society of Richland County Agent Missy Houghton was called to the scene to pick-up the dead kitten, and one found alive. That's when she discovered four other kittens inside a bag in a ditch.

All five were taken to Veterinarian, Dr. Steven Phillips, to be examined and given initial treatment.

The kittens are now at the Humane Society shelter being treated for maggots and fleas, and eye infections.

Houghton says she and her staff will do all they can to restore them to good health, and she believes their pronosis is good.

Fugett faces up to ninety-days in jail if convicted of the second-degree misdemeanor.

Houghton says she wishes the charge was a felony and can't understand how a man could do such a thing, especially in front of children. She says she hopes he's prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

But she very pleased with the boys and calls them heroes.

Houghton hopes to put the four-week-old kittens in foster care, then adopt them out after they reach eight weeks of age.